I glanced up and looked around to see if anyone else was seeing this.
Shade stood nearby, his jaw hanging open. Tommins clapped his palm over his mouth. All around, folk were shocked.
“Is that what I think it is?” Tandor asked, crouching to get a closer look.
I cleared my throat. “I think so.”
“Grass,” Kizzi whispered. “In the Barren Lands.”
“Plants haven’t grown here in thousands of years,” Fiella explained unnecessarily, for we already knew that.
“Is this his manifestation of magic?” I asked aloud.
“Plant magic,” Shade mused. “Lifemagic. It’s incredibly rare.”
I looked at Bram. He was sniffing one of the boots that the knights had left behind. He scrunched his face in distaste and then attempted to bury it with the dusty sand.
I was so unbelievably proud of him.
Tears pricked at the back of my eyes. “Life magic,” I repeated. “Wow.”
Kizzi whooped dramatically. “Go Bram! We knew you had it in you! We never doubted you for a second, I swear!”
“Go little green guy!” Tandor joined in.
Bram glanced up for a moment, looking bashful, before he returned to attempting to bury the offensive boot.
I sniffled, wiping a tear away.
My little magical prodigy. He just needed a moment to bloom. I glanced at the bright light of the suns, warmer now than it had been since his little egg hatched. “I wonder if he just needed a little seasonal encouragement,” I mused.
“That is likely,” Shade agreed. “My shadows are stronger at night—he is probably stronger in the milder seasons. Magic is strange that way.”
Strange, indeed.
I glanced up, meeting his shimmering gaze. “Let’s go home.”
Epilogue: Ginger
There was nothing more irritating than sunburn.
“Careful! That hurts,” I whined as Shade rubbed soothing ointment into my crispy pink skin. Days spent traversing the Barren Lands without any protection on my arms and shoulders had left them irritated and angry.
I should have known better, but alas, I had bigger things to worry about at the time.
All things considered; it had been worth it.
Absolutely worth it.
But even days later, I was still suffering the consequences.
“I’m sorry, wife. I’m almost done. It will feel better soon.” Shade’s voice was calm and patient.
With the soothing ointment applied, my skin feltsomuch better. His fingers kneaded the muscles of my shoulders to release any tension. My head rolled forward. I sighed contentedly. Prickles of warmth began to collect in my stomach, settling lower.
After endless hours discussing Shade’s memories, his history, his behavior when he had arrived at Moonvale, thecourting giftshe attempted to bestow upon me, as well as my thoughts, the reasoning behind my resistance, and my feelings—we came to an understanding.
He would try to make his stalking tendencies a little more… subtle.
